Abstract

The reaction of the plasma sheet in response to an increase in magnetospheric convection is examined using a combination of energetic neutral atom (ENA) imaging and in situ observations. Data from the IMAGE/MENA instrument are examined in conjunction with observations from the magnetospheric plasma analyzer (MPA) instrument onboard the Los Alamos 1994-084 satellite located in geosynchronous orbit. Examination of the MENA data during an enhanced convection event reveal that between 12:00 and 14:30 UT on 26 June 2001, ENA emissions from the plasma sheet material are observed to strengthen and move Earthwards. A simple calculation of the motion of the peak in ENA emissions following an increase in the convection gives an averaged speed of this sunward surge of around 8 km s−1 between 12:00 and 14:30 UT.